Shadowrun Returns Review

Shadowrun has remained one of the most popular tabletop RPG series since its introduction in the late 1980s. Shadowrun Returns takes the franchise back to its roots. Funded partially through Kickstarter, it drew a lot of attention. Shadowrun Returns appeared to revitalize a genre that has long been neglected.

Story

Shadowrun Returns is a tactical RPG set in the same sci-fi world as the tabletop franchise it is based on. In a dystopian future, corporations engage in constant warfare with each other. They attempt to carry out industrial espionage to steal the best technology available. Shadowrun Returns takes that premise and adds a murder mystery into the proceedings. The result is an engrossing story that will leave you incredibly satisfied.

Without a doubt, the best part of Shadowrun Returns is the fantastic writing. The plot is watertight for the most part, although the narrative does lose a bit of focus toward the end.

Characters

Players take on the role of a Decker, a type of hacker, whom they can customize to make their own. The Decker receives a message from a friend after his death. A reward awaits if you can expose his killer and ensure he faces justice. Along the way, you will run into some familiar characters from the older games. And you will uncover a mystery bigger than the death of one man.

Thankfully, characters are given genuine motives for their actions. You can understand the choices they make through the slick dialogue presented to you in each conversation. But nothing is ever given too much of an explanation either. The characters you meet and the locations you find yourself in have an air of mystery about them. You leave each encounter feeling as if you never truly understand everything that is going on.